Gingerbread & Sugared Things

How cute is this Christmas card, created from the greeting card kids stamp set?

I had a wonderful time creating this beauty with my friend Gina during our mommy play date last Sunday. I know this riding hood ribbon is retired and thought that I should dye some of our taffeta the next time I make this with my customers.

I just love the JEWELS self adhesive rhinestones or pearls. They add so much to a project, and they are just so darn simple to use.

I used the spritzer tool with a riding hood red marker. This tool basically turns your marker into an air brush and gives the splatter effect.

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend and that you have time to stamp4fun!

((Rubbah hugs)))
Selene Kempton

Saturday Sketch Challenge 162

Good Evening Friends!

It's Friday night so that means it's time for another fun sketch challenge from your operators at Stamping 411!

I didn't like the first card I made for this week's challenge, so I decided to make this one and I like it MUCH better! Let's face it, that happens sometimes! If at first you dont succeed, try adding a layer.. or in my case, start over!

Okay.. So this cute sentiment comes from the new Level 1 hostess set Birthday Bakery... Too DARN Cute!!! The TEENY TINY cupcakes come from the Itty Bitty Bits stamp set and coordinate wonderfully with Itty Bitty Shapes punches. I also used the three flower punch to make the background flowers or the teeny scalloped circles. :)

So ~ here are my measurements

Base: Shimmer White 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded in half at 4 1/4"
note** I added a 7" piece of regal rose grosgrain ribbon and stuck it in between the base and layer 2.
Layer 2: 5 1/4" x 3 13/16ths (these measurements work perfectly with the two scallop edged punches.. I punched the corners first and then connected the sides by looking through the back of my punch.
Layer 3: Regal Rose 4 5/8" x 3 1/4"
Layer 4: Espresso 4 1/2 x 3 1/8"
Ribbon banner:
Layer 5: 3/4" strip of scrap regal rose
Layer 6: 1/2" strip of scrap shimmer white, stamped with the sentiment

I used the vintage wallpaper die on layers 3 and 4 after I stuck them together with my tombo multipurpose adhesive. The three cupcake "flowers" are up on dimensionals. and the ribbon banner was stuck with the tombo adhesive. I bent the paper, to make a true paper banner... Well, now it's your turn! Want to give this super simple sketch a try? Make a card or scrapbook page, upload it somewhere and show us what you've got!

(((rubbah hugs)))

Selene Kempton

Tea Card Share

Last Sunday, one of my BFF's Gina and I had a mommy play date. We hung out in the craft room all day and made cards. This is one of the quick and cute creations we came up with .. Very nontraditional in layout, we made the background with a flower sizzix die, birds and blooms.

Just having fun with this card! The picture looks a little dark.. the colors are bold and Bright! Daffodil Delight and Pacific Point!

We drank pomegranate tea and got silly and spent hours making cards and just laughing.

I hope your day is filled with happiness!

Selene

Sketch Challenge 291

I almost never have time to visit split coast stampers any more. I saw that there was a new sketch and thought I'd try it out!

Today is "take your children to work day" for my hubby, so mom got some unscheduled free time! I think I'm going to go out to lunch! :)

Stamps: Contempo Christmas
Ink: Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, and Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper.
Accessories: Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Smooch Shimmer Spritz dimensionals and tombo multipurpose adhesive. Clean simple and pretty!

Love that!! I hope you're having a wonderful week!

Mojo Monday Imagination

Good Morning Friends!

Can I just say I LOVE this new designer paper, Woodland Walk?!!? My goodness... I was never a big fan of garden green and this morning, I'm waving my green flag! :)

This morning's sketch from mojo monday was just what I needed to start my day!

I just love a good sketch challenge! I started with some watercolor paper and cut it 2 1/8" square. I stamped my flower (from Growing Green, page 108) and took an aqua painter to add some color. When I was done, I added Illuminate top coat (which is a new shimmer accent ink, and it adds some pretty shimmer to the top of any stamped image. The trick to this product? Well, less is more. :D

I cut a crumb cake layer to mount that, 2 1/4" square. Next I used my scalloped border punches (corner and side, to make the matte, cutting my cardstock first to 2 7/8".

The sentiment is stamped on watercolor paper 1" thick, and the matte is 1 1/4" garden green. The sentiment comes from the new Word Play stamp set 120651 (clear mount) and 120308 (wood mount). I embossed the white layer (layer 2) with the vintage wallpaper embossing folder from the big shot.

I had a wonderful time with this morning's sketch and it's time to start my day. Back to being mommy. Have a wonderful week!
Selene Kempton~

Saturday Sketch challenge 161

Good Morning Friends...

When I saw the photos of this card I almost started over, but I just have to tell you that the photo doesn't do this card justice at all! So ~ I decided to keep it even though I'm not happy with my photo.

This is the first time I have used the new poppy parade in color and I really wasnt sure what colors to use with it, so I grabbed my new color coach and got the colors there. This uses poppy, baja and saffron. So let's move on to my process...

I started with the movers and shapers die from sizzix. This cool little contraption will cut and score your cardstock while making a cool shaped hole anywhere you want on your card. So I used it to make a glitter window. (which is why my photo isnt that impressive, but its so pretty in real life). After cutting my card base, I simply stuck a piece of packing tape to the inside of my card, and poured glitter over the front. The glitter sticks to the packing tape and makes it no longer sticky. I'll show the inside and how I covered the tape in a minute. I used a cool butterfly embosslet, that cuts and embosses at the same time so you stick it on your project and if you want, add glitter. For the baja layer on the front, I repositioned that piece and ran it through the big shot to make the same size hole, and when I layered it on my card, I pulled it down and over a little to make a drop shadow with the poppy paper.

Next, I stamped that layer with versamark to create a watermark for the flowers. I mixed a red and orange chalk, to make my own version of the poppy color and used a sponge to softly add the color by daubing (not rubbing) it on my cardstock.

Now, the inside of my card, has more layers than the outside. :D This card has some serious weight to it.

I cut a piece of baja and layered it underneath a piece of saffron paper, laid that on my bigshot, and cut another hole. I used tombo multipurpose adhesive to glue that over my packing tape layer. This just leaves a glittery window, that you can see the sentiment through.

My inside layers are cut 5 x 3 3/4" and 4 7/8 x 3 5/8" layered. Well, that's about all I have for you this morning! I hope you like my creation and can see through the yucky photo... Have a great weekend!

Selene~

Happy Birthday Paula!

Hello Friends!

Today is my sister's birthday. here is the card that I put together for her. She loves the beach, so I started with the now retired Bermuda Bay card stock. I stamped that cute beach chair on watercolor paper and water colored the image with markers and aqua painters.

The other colors here are soft suede, pretty in pink, melon mambo. The clay pot and kitty are more mustard, and the pillow and flowers were started with pink pirouette.

I used the button and linen thread to make the cool button bow (that requires no tying). I used glue dots to adhere that to the card. At the end, I added some Illuminate smooch top coat to add the sand and waves effect.. Here's a darker photo at a different angle showing some of what I did for that. The top coat is very subtle, but it's so darn pretty.

The card is going to be a little late getting there (because that's how I roll). :D

TGIF and Happy Birthday Paula! This pretty card will be in your mailbox soon (well, someday).

Selene~

Sweet Card for Lori's Workshop

My girlfriend Lori is having her first workshop as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator tonight. I'm so excited for her! This is the card I designed for her first workshop. Anyway, I'm going for two birds with one stone... My sister's birthday is this week and this card will be her birthday card from Alexis (her God daughter). Now to get it in the mail! I better make this one a belated birthday card, because her birthday is Friday!

That's always the way.. I'm always making cards, then they sit. I still have a card I made for my gorgeous niece Bella's graduation... :D

This uses the new Blush Blossom, Early Espresso, gorgeous ribbon and embellishments! So much fun to work with! :) I water colored the image with markers and an aqua painter.

Self Adhesive rhinestone Jewels, and Illuminate top coat add just the right amount of shine in just the right places!

I hope you're having a great day and have a chance to stamp 4 fun today!

Selene Kempton

Saturday Sketch Challenge SSC160

Good Evening Friends!!

It's time for another simple sketch from stamping 411!

Today I used the friends never fade stamp set, with the coordinating designer series paper greenhouse gala.

this card is VERY simple and easy to reproduce. I did this with my stamp. Here's what I did..

My base layer is 8 1/2 x 5 1/2" crumb cake colored cardstock. I rounded the corners for effect.

Next, I took a strip of the designer paper, and cut it down First, I cut the whole page at 4" and when I got 3 strips, I cut them again at 1 1/2" all the way down the page.

For the third layer (chocolate chip), I took a piece of card stock and cut it down to 4". I used the punch on the edge of the long strip, and didn't have to cut this layer at all. This punch, Dotted scallop ribbon border, was a huge hit at my open house. Many of my customers were excited that you don't have to cut your card stock more than once in order to make many of this border strips.. Way cool! On this layer I also took a white gel pen and did faux stitching. Some of my new customers actually thought we were going to use a needle and thread and were shocked to find out it was a pen! :)

The top two layers of my card measure this way..
The brown layer is 2 1/4" square
and the white layer is 2 1/8 square.. Leaving a tiny 1/16" border, which is so darn pretty.

I stamped the flower image towards the top of the white, then layered the thanks so much stamp from tiny tags Stamp set on top in chocolate chip ink.

I just love this combination of crumb cake, baja and Chocolate! I tied a pretty taffeta bow, with my bowmaker from Lee Conrey.

Now it's your turn! Come on over and play with us on the stamping 411 blog.

Off to camping for the weekend! Have a great one!

Operation Baby Girl Sherman Shower

Good Morning Fun Stampers!

Today I'd like to share a project that my friend Pam and I stamped for her daughter's baby shower!

Pam called me on thursday, frantic, because her daughters baby shower had to be moved to to a family illness, and they needed to get 40 invites in the mail in a matter of 1 day!

I had this idea before and used it for a few things, but I thought today would be a good day to share with you!

This darling little purse is very easy to make using the big shot. I started with an 8 x 4" piece of cardstock (cut from a 12 x 12 you get 4 pieces) and scored it in half at 4".

To be most efficient, I cut a 4 inch piece off a 12 x 12" paper, then scored the remaining 8 x 12 inch piece at 4" before cutting my three 4x8 inch strips.. This means that I only scored twice for the 4 cards.. So we used 10 sheets of 12 x 12, and 10 of 8 1/2 x 11. Clear as mud?

Next, I ran the piece through the big shot using the square scallop die. Because my cardstock is only 4" wide, it fits between the scallops on either side perfectly.

The handle is the scallop oval die, and I was able to cut 4 at a time using 1/4" sheet of 8 1/2 x 11" cardstock.

We used tombo, multipurpose adhesive to adhere the purse straps, and glue dots in the corners to hold the pocket together. I used my handy bow maker to make perfect bows and Pam stamped the front of all the invitations.

We used some retired DSP and Pam helped me use up the last of my amethyst cardstock. Next. we cut a designer series paper down to 4" and used that sheet to make the faux ribbon with the brand new Dotted Scallop Ribbon Punch. Isn't that stinkin cute??

So here is a view of the inside of the pocket...


Next, we did the invitation... I blocked out some of the info with photoshop, but here's the info so you can see how we did it.. I set up a 3 column document in word, and we color matched to razzleberry. :) Told ya, wicked cute!!

The three inserts (4 for those needing directions) were printed, matted, and stuck together with a brad so nothing would get lost in the pile.

1. The main directions were first
2. then a poem to request a book instead of a card
3. Registry information
4. Directions to the event.

Here's a peek at the cute little book request card, and we hand stamped the book worm from the stamp set in the current mini catalog. Baby Girl Sherman is going to be a smart one!
That's all for today. I hope you all have some time to stamp something fun!

Selene Kempton

Saturday Sketch challenge

Hey Kids! It's time for another sketch challenge from your operators at stamping 411. This week I did a most simple card, but I think it's pretty elegant!

Here's some measurements for you..

Base: 8 1/2 x 5 1/2" scored and folded in half at 4 1/4"
Layer 1: Cherry Cobbler 3 x 5 1/2"
Layer 2: Crumb Cake 2 7/8 x 5 1/2"
Layer 3: Very Vanilla 3 1/8" x 2 1/8"
Layer 4: Cherry Cobbler 3x2"
Layer 5: 2 1/2" x 1 7/8" watercolor paper

I stamped the 4 you and punched it with a 1/2 inch circle punch and used it on my build a brad. I made a faux bow, just by laying the ribbon down over itself then slid it on the brad and put it through the 2 layers underneath it.

Oh... and this new GORGEOUS level 2 hostess set.. I stamped the flower in cherry cobbler on watercolor paper, and barely touched the back side of the flower to pull the color towards the center.. it took two seconds and it's gorgeous! The center stripe is vanilla satin, and I embossed layers 2 and 3 at the same time with the new embossing folder, Vintage Wallpaper... it is SO darn gorgeous!!!!

Well it's Friday night.. and although I dont believe in that sort of thing, we're headed out to see a psychic... really, it's just a night out for me with some of the girls on my team. :) Maybe she'll tell me that my birthday wish of becoming independently wealthy has come true.. LOL I'm not counting my chickens.. :D

Have a great weekend, and I hope you have time to stamp something fun!
Selene Kempton

Patti's Color Challenge

Good Morning Friends!

My good friend Patti is on vacation (lucky girl) so I'm covering her color post today over on the Stamping 411 blog.

So I do not have the same graphic that Patti uses, but that's okay, right?

The colors I chose this week are:

Rich Razzleberry (purple)
Tempting Turquoise (blue)
Old Olive (green)


I felt completely inspired by my new package of goodies this week, and I purchased several packages of the bold brights buttons. My plan is to use the red and green through Christmas, the blue and yellow through the summer, and the purple and orange during the fall and maybe into Halloween. My daughter and I sorted the colors this week, so I would have all the buttons in the packages and they would be easy to find and grab.

Anyway, these are colors that I don't typically work with all together, but when I saw them on the table in the packages, I got a little excited!

So, what do you think you can come up with for this color combination? I got this new set (new to me, not to the book) and decided he needed to get some ink. :) He seems kind of happy about it, don't you think?

It's so easy to play along. Just make a card, post it somewhere, then link back to the stamping411 site so we can come see your work! Totally cool!

I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

:D

Happy Thursday!
Selene Kempton

Mojo Monday Journey

Hello Friends!

I'm just home from my weekend 4th of July camping trip. It was a great weekend but I'm happy to be home. I was able to sneak away tonight for a few moments to try out this week's mojo monday sketch challenge.

I really love playing along with sketch challenges. My friend Karen was here last week, and she was making a STRIKING card for a swap. The colors were marina mist and white.

So for the creation tonight, I used shimmer white and marina mist and had a blast making this card. For the center panel I cut three ovals using the big shot.

I used three 1/2" pieces of cut marina mist paper, and just cut a V with my paper snips to make the look like ribbon panels to follow the sketch.

Next, I embossed polka dots (5 rows) using an embossing folder that I cut with my paper cutter. I cut one of my polka dot embossing folders apart, so I can make some parts embossed and others not embossed whenever I want! :) Love that!

I stamped my main image from the new hostess level 2 set from Stampin Up, and stamped the word Journey from another stamp I found hanging around. I used an aqua painter to move the color around a bit, then added a big layer of crystal effects, mixed with dazzling diamonds glitter, I painted that just everywhere I felt! Isn't that yummy?

In real life this is super shimmery. All white layers are made from shimmer white and it's so sparkly in real life. I took this close up to try and get a better feel. I sponged the journey and flower layers.

I finished it off with a cute little taffeta bow. I tried other larger bows and they seemed to overtake the image a little bit.

At the end of the journey, it's always good to come home.

I hope you have time to stamp4fun today!

(((rubbah hugs)))
Selene Kemptong

Saturday Sketch challenge 158

Hey Everybody!

Time for another fantastic Saturday Sketch Challenge! I'm sorry that I've been a bit of a bad blogger this week. It's summer vacation and my little one has been needing some of mommy's attention after a crazy June! I'll be back on track after the holiday. I'm off to the mountains for camping this weekend and am so excited for a little R&R with the family!

I made this gorgeous card over two weeks ago.

How about some measurements
Base: Whisper white, 11 x 4 1/4"
Layer 2: Bashful Blue 4 x 5 1/4"
Layer 3: Night of Navy 3 7/8" x 5 1/8"
Layer 4: Whisper white 2 3/8" x 3 3/8"
Layer 5:Night of navy 2 1/8" x 3 1/8"
Layer 6: Bashful Blue 2x3"

I embossed the main "friends" image with white embossing powder on bashful blue cardstock then cut it tight to the image. I used an aqua painter to add some night of navy ink to the inside of the flower, and the words to make them pop a bit. the bashful blue was a little light against the white.

I dry embossed layer 3 with the big shot using a new embossing folder and added some taffeta ribbon... I love how the taffeta makes pain free bows. :) When the card was all put together, I spritzed the entire front with the vanilla shimmer spray, which (yeaaaa) made the new catalog. :D

Well ~ we are headed out the door for a fun weekend in the great outdoors... Happy 4th of july, and happy birthday to my friends Patti and Regina!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton